Former Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano still getting used to new role

By By Jeff Zrebiec

Feb 23, 2012 | 2:20 PM

Former

Ravens

defensive coordinator

Chuck Pagano

will celebrate his one-month anniversary as coach of the

Indianapolis Colts

on Saturday, yet there are still clearly some things about his new job that he hasn’t gotten used to.

“I’ve got so many things coming across my desk right now that are non-football related, I can’t stand it,” said Pagano, who interviewed in Indianapolis the day after the Ravens’

AFC

championship game loss to the

New England Patriots

. “This has been a whirlwind. It’s the last thing I ever expected, but it’s coming quick and fast.”

For Pagano, there are new people to get to know, media responsibilities to meet, tape to watch and key evaluations of several Colts, including quarterback

Peyton Manning

, to be made.

Pagano used the word “process” countless times during his media interviews today at the NFL Scouting Combine in reference to the multitude of decisions that the Colts have to make in regard to Manning, their first overall pick in April’s draft and their own free agents, a group that includes long-time key contributors

Reggie Wayne

,

Jeff Saturday

and

Robert Mathis

.

But when it comes to scouting and wooing other teams' free agents, Pagano certainly has an in with three Ravens starters who are eligible to hit the open market on March 13. Linebackers

Jarret Johnson

and

Jameel McClain

and defensive end

Cory Redding

are all close Pagano, as are free agent safeties

Haruki Nakamura

and

Tom Zbikowski,

who had Pagano as a position coach before he was elevated to defensive coordinator last season.

Pagano had joked about targeting some of his former players earlier this offseason, although he toned down that rhetoric a little bit today. Still, it would hardly be surprising if guys like Johnson and McClain followed Pagano to Indianapolis and helped him in transforming the Colts’ defense from a 4-3 to a hybrid 3-4 style that Pagano used in Baltimore.

Pagano had nothing but good things to say about his time in Baltimore and he wanted to make sure to thank owner

Steve Bisciotti

, general manager

Ozzie Newsome

, coach

John Harbaugh

, his former players and the fans. He also said that he plans on leaning on Harbaugh to help aid in his transition.

“I think John being a first-timer four years ago when I came in with him, obviously daily things come at you that you never expect and you’ve never been through,” Pagano said. “Having a chance to see him go through it as a first-timer and all the different things that he exposed us to, he’s a great friend and a confidant and he’ll be a great sounding board going forward.”

Today's Headlines Newsletter

Delivered weekdays

A digest of essential news, insight and analysis from L.A. Times editors.